11 August 18, 2011 THE EVANGELIST BACK TO SCHOOL Bishop Maginn High School Welcomes New Head of School Please join us on Thursday, August 25th, as we welcome our new Head of School, Mr. Joseph Salamack. This exciting event will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be held at Bishop Maginn High School, 99 Slingerland St., Albany, NY 12202. After welcoming remarks by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard and Superintendent Sister Jane Herb, IHM, PhD, join us to meet Joe and enjoy light refreshments. For further information, please contact Angela Stone, Director of Advancement (518) 463-2247 ext. 104 or [email protected] Your Choice is His Future 174 Williams Rd, Troy, NY 12180 (518) 283-2500 www.lasalleinstitute.org . . These are his Critical Years - Trust them to La Salle - Student-centered education - Small class sizes - Personal attention - Dedicated Faculty - Grades 6 - 12 - Proximity to HVCC provides dual high school/college credit with over 30 courses offered - AP and “college in the high school” programs - A Leadership/JROTC program - All students are encouraged to succeed—inspired by their teachers as well as their peers - An atmosphere of respect and dedication focused on the value of education Be Challenged Be Welcomed Be Inspired La Salle Institute Call or Visit Us Today. BY CASEY NORMILE STAFF WRITER Just a few months ago, Joseph Salamack was living a block away from celebrities in sunny Oakland, Calif. He was principal of a private Catholic school where he knew everyone and had spent 10 years working in the Diocese of Oakland and its schools. But when the opportunity came to return to Johnstown, his hometown in the Albany Diocese, he leapt at the chance. Mr. Salamack is the new head of school for Bishop Maginn High School in Albany. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to work for this diocese and for Sister Jane Herb, the superinten- dent,” said Mr. Salamack. “I felt it was the place I should be. It’s an urban Catholic school with a diverse community; I’m familiar with this area — and the people here are wonderful.” In his 30 years in education, Mr. Salamack has taught at plen- ty of urban Catholic schools with great success. He hopes to put those years of experience to good use. Local history Growing up, he attended Catholic schools: St. Patrick’s School in Johnstown, St. Bonaventure University and The College of Saint Rose in Albany. The Vincentian Sisters who taught him influenced Mr. Salamack’s decision to become an educator himself. “I loved the values and morals taught at Catholic school and I’m a prod- uct of it,” he noted. “My parents made the sacrifice to send their kids there because it was impor- tant to them, and it’s important to me, too.” Mr. Salamack’s new role at Bishop Maginn will allow him to share his enthusiasm for Catholic education and use it to help other parents and students make the same choice them- selves. As head of school, he will be in charge of the finance and marketing of the school and its ties to the community. “I have a lot of experience in marketing and it’s an ex- citing endeav- or we’ve be- gun here,” he said. “We have to go out and let people know we’re a viable choice in Catholic edu- cation.” Mr. Salamack’s plans for the school have already been set in motion, from his endeavor to provide laptops and iPads for the students to his efforts to reboot the school’s marketing campaign through radio, televi- sion, billboards, signs and a new format for their open houses and visitations. Value for money “Many people appreciate Catholic education because of the morals and values it teaches, but not all of the students are Catholic, so we need to let par- ents know what else they can get for their money along with the values,” said Mr. Salamack. “If people know that you’re work- ing hard to offer a 21st-century education, they’ll want their kids at your school.” The new head of school spent the summer directing renova- tions. Bishop Maginn now has a new guidance center for stu- dents and a student center where they can relax and social- ize between classes. Something as simple as open- ing the blinds on the windows is important, Mr. Salamack noted: “I’ve heard from different people that, when they drive by and see the blinds closed, they think the school is empty, so something as simple as opening the blinds and letting them know that peo- ple are here, that the school is alive, is important.” The newcomer said he’s not nervous about beginning the school year, just excited. Having been welcomed by other area administrators and Bishop Maginn staff already, he remarked that “I just hope they see me as a breath of fresh air and a different set of eyes, not the ‘change freak.’ Change is really good for people. This school is going to change, and that’s good.” Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady also has a new principal: Ninette Kondratow- icz, who was most recently ND- BG’s co-principal. She has also taught math and science and been coordinator and assistant principal for the middle school grades. HEAD OF SCHOOL Johnstown native returns as Bishop Maginn staffer MR. SALAMACK